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Secrets of a bargain hunter

If you want to save a bit of money here and there but don’t want to sacrifice your love for fashion, you need to start thinking like a thrifty bargain hunter. You don’t need to miss out on the latest trends, but starting choosing your outlets more wisely and you could save some money along the way.

Brand sale alerts

ShopStyle is like a rel=”nofollow” search engine dedicated to fashion; a fantastic place to find all the best brands, designers and styles under one roof. Stocking brands such as French Connection, Miu Miu, All Saints, Topshop and Jeffrey Campbell, you needn’t jump around from store to store when you can get everything you need here. Best of all, you can sign up for sale alerts so that you are notified every time products by your favourite designer or brand go on sale. An ingenious idea!

Charity shopping

An obvious one, but not to be overlooked. Your best bet is to visit charity shops in more affluent areas where you’ll come across more expensive, designer or boutiquey items. Also, if you time it so you’re shopping at the end of the season, this is when people are more likely to be clearing out their wardrobes ready for the next season.

Clothes swapping parties

These were really hot last year but are still running strong now, and are the perfect way to save money as you’re not actually spending anything. For anyone who missed this fashion phenomenon, this type of event is more or less how it sounds: gather all your charity-shop-worthy (i.e. still wearable) and ill-fitting clothes, invite your friends round with their clothes, and swap items. You get rid of clothes that were clogging up your wardrobe, and take home some second-hand gems that were of no use to someone else. This idea was so popular that there are now national events organised so that you can swap with strangers. Swishing.com hosts clothes rustling parties all over the UK – free clothes for everyone…

Car boot sales

Don’t turn your nose up at car boot sales. Sure, you may have to rummage through a lot of rubbish to find something special, but you’ll get something super cheap and you’re unlikely to see someone else wandering around in the same thing. Car boot sales are an especially good bet if you’re looking for a fashion classic which has come around again (so something like high-waisted jeans or denim jackets). Get there early, 6am-ish, when the sellers are setting up, to be the first in line to shop.

Clearance shops

Some shops have warehouses or units in industrial estates which have returns or last season’s stock for bargain prices. There’s often nothing wrong with them items and they’ll just be surplus garments that the shop can no longer sell or store. If you Google “clearance shop” – you should find a number in your area.

Email newsletters

Sign up for email newsletters from your favourite online shops. Here, you’re most likely to get advance notice of sales or new stock. Likewise, their Facebook page is the best place to get discount codes and enter competitions for giveaways.